Fiat 500

Fiat 500 Pop 1.2

NEVER let it be said that little cars are born to be boring.

Fiat has proved without doubt that small is very definitely beautiful with its iconic 500 that hit the streets in 2008 exactly 500 hours after the start of the New Year.

The 500 is a nostalgic take of Dante Giacosa's iconic Fiat 500 of July 1957 and it was a very feeling strange getting behind the wheel of the new car because I can compare it to the original which I drove in the mid-1960s.

It is certainly not easy mixing the old with the new, but there are rules for success. Firstly any such interpretation must have modern handling, technology, safety, performance and ease of ownership.

It must also reflect the character of the original and just make you smile.

And that has been achieved without doubt with the 500. As soon as you see it you know that it is special.

Open the door and take in the 1950s styling cues and you know that you have a car that you will never treat as plain ordinary. This model, a basic 1.2 Pop featured a white steering wheel and trim with a painted red body colour dash. It really felt the part.

But where it does not feel like the original is in the technical department because it a benchmark in terms of safety and technology in its now highly competitive market segment.

Fiat says it represents a company blueprint for a future which embraces a modern approach, new brand strategies, radical innovations in customer relations and a lasting process of expansion.

An ambitious statement but the 500 certainly proves that Fiat means business. Its products have suddenly become much better built in addition to being far more attractive.

Fiat 500 is top ten selling car in the UK

The Fiat 500 should be highly successful car when it launches in the USA. Sales numbers in the UK for the car have been quite favorable as the car was a top ten selling car in the month of October.

This was in accordance with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders who reported that the Fiat 500 sold 2,989 units last month. This was an improvement of 993 in sales for the Fiat 500 compared to last year.

“This is an incredible result for the Fiat 500 which we are, of course, delighted with,” says Andrew Humberstone, managing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd. “Interest in this car has been sky high ever since we launched it here less than two years ago.

“The popularity of this superb vehicle speaks for itself and, with the launch this summer of the fantastic 500C, and the option of Start&Stop bringing further environmental benefits to the range, we’re sure we will see the Fiat 500 making even greater inroads into the UK small car market.”

In relation to the USA, Chrysler plans to introduce the 500 as their first car amongst many others which will grace US roads. Chrysler made this announcement recently and the car should hit sometime late 2010.

The Fiat 500 will be a great competitor to the MINI Cooper and some could argue that it is more stylish than the BMW made MINI.

Will Americans embrace Chrysler's Fiat cars?

Here’s a question to ponder as Fiat takes control of Chrysler. Will Americans buy cars engineered by Italians for Europeans? History says no. For years, General Motors brought over the occasional Opel and tried to sell it as a Saturn or a Cadillac or whatever. The Saturn L-series was an Opel Vectra. The Cadillac Catera, or Caterrible, was an Opel Omega. Both failed.

In each case they encountered the same problem. Thanks to higher fuel prices, Europeans pay more for passenger cars. So when U.S. carmakers brought their Eurocars here, they often stripped them down to reduce costs and still make a profit at the lower prices Americans would pay. GM’s imported Opels often got weaker suspensions or the interior appointments weren’t as nice. The cars were watered down. Ford had a similar problem with the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique, nicknamed the mistake. Ford kept the nice features and gave the cars the same nimble handling as the European Mondeo. But Americans didn’t want to pay up for a car smaller than a Taurus. It flopped.

Even Volkswagen—with its pricey family sedans and compacts—has never gotten big sales numbers in the U.S. The cars are too expensive to penetrate the mainstream, quality lags the Japanese and American models and the euro-to-dollar exchange rate has been killing them. Then you have failure in the U.S. by Fiat and Renault. In other words, Europeans have not been able to break the interloper’s curse when it comes to mainstream cars. In luxury, it must be said, BMW and Mercedes are kingpins.

In fairness to Fiat, a lot of the examples mentioned here were simply bad automobiles or wretched management decisions. Fiat plans to build cars here in Chrysler plants, which means competitive labor costs, lower shipping rates and no currency exchange risk. The business case looks much better. Also, the Italians know styling. The Fiat 500, pictured above, and the Alfa Romeo cars are quite catchy.

But to succeed, Fiat will have to adjust those cars to meet American tastes. European passenger cars tend to be engineered smaller to fit in tight European parking spaces and city streets. Americans like roomy rides. Fiat’s quality is barely average in Europe. They will have to step that up to compete with the likes of Toyota, Honda, Ford and, yes, GM. And when they come here in about two years, there may be even more competition from India, China, another European player or whoever Roger Penske can contract to make new Saturn cars. Fiat also has to improve Chrysler’s home-grown models, none of which get a friendly nod from Consumer Reports despite the supposed overhaul that outgoing CEO Robert Nardelli gave them. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is a fix-it man. But he has a lot of fixing to do. His Chrysler play has hope, but it’s far from over, folks.

Fiat 500 in India

Fiat 500

The Fiat 500 was launched in Mumbai on 19th July - Friday. This was a relaunch of the Italian car, known as Cinquecento, originally designed by Dante Giocosa, launched 50 years ago in Turin. The car will be available in India in both Diesel and Petrol variants with a starting price of Rs. 14,82,500.

The Fiat 500 comes with following standard features:

• ABS
• 7 Airbags (Knee, driver, Passenger, Side & Head)
• Blue & Me
• Automatic A/C
• Remote door lock
• ORVM with electrical drive & defrost
• Rear window defroster & wiper
• Steering wheel adjuster
• Front power windows
• Split rear seat
• Front fog lamps
• Smoker kit
• Electric servo – assisted steering
• Audio – Radio, CD & Mp3

Fiat 500 India

Fiat 500 lounge Version features:

• Alloy wheel
• Fixed glass roof
• Driver adjustable front seat
• Chromium kit
• Leather steering wheel with 8 buttons

Fiat 500 India

Fiat 500 sport version features:

• Alloy wheel
• Dark windows
• Sporty leather steering wheel with 8 buttons
• Sports seat with special countered padding
• Rear spoiler
• Chrome inserts on doors

Fiat 500

Whether you’re buying your first car, or just replacing an old one, the Fiat 500 is the car for you.

Why? Because it’s a car designed by you!

Take your pick from 4 different trim levels and 3 engines, not to mention a host of optional extras designed to enhance the style, sportiness and comfort of the Fiat 500. With over 500,000 different combinations available, you’re sure to find your perfect model.

Created by the Fiat Style Centre, the new Fiat 500 is a small 3-door car.

It is 355cm long, 163cm wide, 149cm high, and has a wheelbase of 230 cm. You could even describe it as a cute, playful compact with soft rounded styling.

Fiat 500 Pictures

Fiat 500 India

Fiat 500 Exterior

The front combines the family feeling of the most recent Fiat models, with the distinctive elements of the first Fiat 500. For instance, you’ll notice features like the round upper headlights above and main beam lights below, as well as the familiar Fiat 500 whiskers and logo.

On the side, the mid-line slopes slightly at the front giving the Fiat 500 an impression of sturdiness.

While the rear features a distinctive chrome handle reminiscent of the number plate light holder found on the original Fiat 500 model, and similar in shape to that of a bicycle saddle.

To complete the look, there’s a choice of 12 body colours available - pastel, metallic and a pearl finish - all perfectly matching the wide range of interior fabrics and leathers.

And not forgetting the various options for customization of your Fiat 500: from stickers to alloy wheels, badges to style details, elegance and comfort.

Fiat 500 Interior Pictures

Fiat 500 India

Fiat 500 Interior

On the inside, the Fiat 500 offers a welcoming, protective environment for both the driver and passengers. This is largely due to the large ring bordering the entire inner space, the great attention to detail, quality materials used, and instruments that aren’t just beautiful to look at, but are also easy to use. Chrome elements, two-tone seats, and a dashboard that perfectly matches the body colour combine with handy storage compartments and small details, like a fragrance dispenser, to create an environment that is both elegant and functional and can comfortably accommodate four people.

Fiat 500 India

Fiat 500 Italian design

Italian tradition, immaculate details and harmonious forms typical of the cars from the Fifties to the Seventies, combined with the influences of Italian culture, fashion and new guidelines merge to inspire the designers of Fiat 500.

Fiat tells us that the new 500 is not “a car that ‘looks like’ a 500 but, rather, one that ‘could be’ a 500 again. That said, at first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that Fiat had never ceased production of the 500 and that the new model is the simply the latest example and the result of natural progression !

Fiat 500 India

Fiat 500 is a cool automobile - welcome to India !

Fiat 500, Barbie Inspired!

This has to be one of the most bizarre Fiat 500’s I’ve seen to date. Inspired by the popular doll, this Fiat 500 Barbie Car is extremely high-end with a matching high-end price tag of well over $125,000. Yes, you read it right, well over one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.

That’s a heap of cash for a micro car.

Fiat 500 First Drive

You might be wondering why KickingTires, the blog for car buyers, is posting about the subcompact Fiat 500, a car that's not available in the U.S. Well, it will be sold here next year, according to a Bloomberg report, and I had a chance to drive one on a recent trip to the United Kingdom. My early take on it is that it's a fun-to-drive little car in the vein of the Mini Cooper, but perhaps not the model the new Chrysler-Fiat alliance needs first in the U.S.

One characteristic of the 500 that's very similar to the Cooper is its suspension, which manages to offer decent comfort on bumpy pavement while still delivering a sporting experience when cornering. The 500's steering, though not quite as weighty and engaging as the Cooper's, is quick and in keeping with the car's lively personality.

My 500 was powered by a 1.2-liter four-cylinder gas engine producing 69 hp. It's one of a handful of engines offered in the car overseas, but my guess is that it won't be offered in the States out of concern that customers might deem its relatively low output undesirable. A more likely base engine for U.S.-bound cars is the 1.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine that's rated at 100 hp, a little less than a Hyundai Accent.

I drove the 500 on everything from narrow city streets to the Motorway — the U.K.'s version of Interstates — and the 1.2-liter engine offered sprightly acceleration in the city and more modest performance at highway speeds. The engine is paired with a five-speed manual transmission, and the stick's light, precise movement through the gears made for easy shifting. I did have to be diligent about making sure the transmission was in the correct gear in order to keep engine power available.

Interior materials quality and construction is pretty good for a small car. It might be a little behind what Volkswagen is doing in terms of the richness of its materials, but the trim is as nice as what you'd see in small cars from Honda and Nissan. More importantly, the interior is much nicer than what Chrysler has been able to muster in its Dodge Caliber hatchback, the smallest car it currently offers.

I wasn't a big fan of the 500's seats, though. The Lounge trim level I tested had attractive black-and-white checked seat fabric, and the driver's seat was height-adjustable, but the flat backrest wasn't the most comfortable when I drove longer than an hour or so. I could have also used a telescoping steering column; I was sitting fairly far away from the steering wheel with my arms stretched forward once I had positioned myself a comfortable distance from the pedals. Meanwhile, the two-person backseat — while somewhat short on headroom — can handle adult passengers if the front ones are willing to slide their seats forward to offer some extra legroom.

There's no question the 500 will improve Chrysler's small-car offerings in the U.S. It could also make a sales splash among car buyers who want the next new thing. That said, I think its small size will restrict it to niche status, and a niche model isn't what Chrysler needs right now.

What it does need is a small car that can take on the Honda Civic and Mazda3 and sell in high volume. The 500 isn't that car, but there are other, larger Fiat cars, like the Grande Punto and Bravo, that have potential. There's a good chance we'll see them in some form ... eventually.

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